Floyd Little

The Franchise who carried the Broncos on his back and into the hearts of Denver.

Floyd Douglas Little (July 4, 1942 – January 1, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Syracuse Orangemen, twice earning All-American honors. Little was the sixth overall selection of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, the first common draft. He was the first first-round draft pick to sign with the AFL's Broncos, where he was known as "the Franchise". Little was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Quick Facts

Position: Halfback
Born: 4 July 1942
Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Died: 1 January 2021
Place of death: Henderson, Nevada, U.S.
High school: Hillhouse (New Haven)
College: Syracuse (1964–1966)
Draft year: 1967

Lore & Background

Floyd Little earned his nickname "the Franchise" because his decision to sign with the AFL's Broncos was credited with generating sufficient fan interest to keep the team from relocating in the 1960s, and with helping to convince Denver voters to approve funding for the purchase and expansion of Mile High Stadium. In his rookie year, he was elected a team captain; he was the first Broncos rookie to earn that honor, though other rookies such as Von Miller in 2011 have since been team captains. Little was Denver Broncos' team captain in all of his nine seasons with the team, including his rookie campaign. He was the first Bronco to win a rushing title, leading the AFC in rushing in 1970 with 901 yards and the following year he became the first Bronco to eclipse 1,000 yards, gaining 1,133 to lead the AFC. Little was the first player to lead his conference in rushing for a last-place team and was among the early players in professional football to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a season. At 5′10″ and 195 pounds, Little was notably compact, but he was not the smallest back to lead the league in rushing since World War II.

Reader's Guide

Floyd Little played for the Denver Broncos from 1967 through 1975. He was an American Football League All-Star in 1968. He was named first-team "All-AFL" in 1969, and made the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl in 1970, 1971, and 1973. Little's jersey number, 44, was retired by the Broncos in 1975 in his honor. He was a charter member of the Broncos' Ring of Fame in 1984, which also included Rich Jackson, Lionel Taylor, and Goose Gonsoulin. Little was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 7, 2010, alongside Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, John Randle, and Dick LeBeau. From July 2011 to June 2016, Little served as the special assistant to the athletic director at Syracuse University. Little owned automobile dealerships in Denver, the Seattle area and Santa Barbara. He lived with his wife DeBorah in Las Vegas.

Did You Know?

Little is often mentioned among Hall of Famers who never played a postseason game, though the exact number of such players is disputed.
Little's nephew, J. Michael Sturdivant, plays wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams.